Epoxy group-containing polymers prepared by introducing epoxy groups into various polymers have been developed because of the satisfactory reactivity and adhesiveness of epoxy groups. However, in introducing an epoxy group, a method for epoxidizing an olefin with a peroxide or the like disadvantageously causes the degradation of a polymer due to oxidation or the like and have difficulty in selectively introducing an epoxy group into an end of a polymer and in polyfunctionalizing a polymer. Furthermore, some production methods require the removal of a by-product. As the above-described method, particularly, a method for preparing an epoxy group-containing polyisobutene by polymerization has the problem of oxidation degradation. Furthermore, the structure of an epoxy group-containing polymer prepared by the method has the problem of reactivity due to steric hindrance at the periphery of the epoxy group (Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 3-56505). Therefore, such epoxy group-containing polymers prepared by the known method do not always exhibit physical properties satisfactory for various applications.
On the other hand, various organic polymers have been widely known to have unique features. In particular, saturated hydrocarbon polymers whose main-chain skeletons are each composed of one material selected from the group consisting of polyisobutylenes, hydrogenated polyisoprenes, hydrogenated polybutadienes, and copolymers thereof have features, such as high weather resistance, high heat resistance, low moisture permeability, low gas permeability, and satisfactory flexibility. On the other hand, oxyalkylene polymers have excellent compatibility with other polymers, flexibility, and low-temperatures characteristics.
There have also been developed various polymers each prepared by introducing a hydrolyzable group, an unsaturated group, a hydrosilyl group, or the like into an end of the saturated hydrocarbon polymer, the oxyalkylene polymer, or the like. To cure these polymers, moisture and heating are required. Furthermore, a certain amount of time and a high-temperature condition are required until these polymers are sufficiently cured. Additionally, these polymers are disadvantageous in view of storage stability. In particular, in applications to bonding and sealing in the peripheries of electronic components, it has recently been required to change a conventional thermocuring system to a photocuring system, for reducing a process time, and use a photocuring system for sealing agents for heat-sensitive components, such as organic electroluminescent components. Epoxy group-containing polymers are used in new applications, such as cationic photocuring and the like, and are expected to be used in the field of such electronic materials.
As described above, polymers each prepared by selectively introducing an epoxy group into an end of an organic polymer have been highly demanded. Furthermore, these polymers are highly required for application to photocuring capable of reducing a curing time.